CRIP awards regional peace ambassadors

By Johny S. Natad

BUTUAN CITY, Oct. 1 (PIA) – The Caraga Regional Institute of Peace (CRIP) awarded on Monday its first Regional Peace Ambassadors for their valuable commitment and efforts in the promotion of peace in the region.

CRIP chairperson and executive director Rex F. Ybañez led the awarding of Dr. Adrilene Mae J. Castaños, 1Lt. Joe Patrick A. Martinez and Pastor Recto T. Labrador for their exemplary character, knowledge, and perseverance which made an impact in their communities during the Regional Peace Education Contest Conference at the AVR-2 of Fr. Saturnino Urios University, this city.

Castaños is currently the university director for National Service Training Program (NSTP) of Caraga State University. She has served as focal person on Gender and Development Office (GAD) from 2001 to 2006 of Northern Mindanao State Institute of Science and Technology (NORMISIST) (presently Caraga State University). Her major effort is on the promotion on gender education, gender equality and participation of women in developments.

Castaños has made significant contribution in many researches and publications such as Violence Against Women and Children and Child Trafficking; Pilot Study on VAWC and Women and Gender Child Trafficking Incidence And Magnitude; Women in Conflict Areas of Mindanao; Regional Program to Promote Gender Equality in Political Participation in the Philippines; Political Participation Of Women in Caraga: A Case Study Regional Program to Promote Gender Equality in Political Participation in the Philippines. She is the networking coordinator on various peace education and gender education programs on Paz Y Desarrollo–Women and Gender Institute. Her researches and publication have been presented before various conventions and conference, and have published by Paz Y Desarrollo – Women and Gender Institute.

1Lt. Joe Patrick Martinez is the Commanding Officer of the 42nd Civil Military Operations Company, Camp Bancasi, Butuan City, Agusan del Norte of the Philippine Army. A mission-oriented Army Officer with pro-active work ethic, Martinez is known for his peace advocacy in the most dangerous areas around the region. The Philippine Army awarded him with Military Merit Medal and Military Commendation Medal for his excellent contribution in the resolution of conflict in the community.

His work made to the peaceful resolution of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Barangay Luna, Surigao City. He and his company successfully supported the concerned stakeholders in facilitation of supports to be given to the affected families and later on facilitated the safe return of the said families to their communities in Kitcharao, Agusan del Norte.  He also contributed to the peace intervention during the attack of NPA in Mining firms in Claver, Surigao del Norte.

Martinez conducted series of dialogues, symposiums, and house-to-house visitations to the affected families. Provided right information to the general public and to the defense department on the current situation of the people and facilitated the support to be given to the affected families. He also was responsible for the peaceful resolution of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Barangay Emadejas, Butuan City and helped facilitate the safe return of the said families to their communities in Kitcharao, Agusan del Norte.

Pastor Recto Labrador is a community development worker known for his passion in nurturing street children on living peacefully and righteously. During his tenure as a Church Pastor, he worked as a Campus Worker/Minister to High School students in so many places. He is connected to an Inter-faith base Campus ministry called Shalom Friendship Global Network (SFGN).  He is the Chairman of the Christian Muslim and Lumad Interfaith Organization in Agusan Del Sur.

Recto is presently ministering Street Children of Butuan City for eight years feeding the children with Good Moral Values, Biblical Interfaith education and food to supplement the needs of the children who are less fortunate. He choses to reside in a Muslim and Christian area of Barangay Ong Yiu, Butuan City, where he teaches peace principles and feed more than a hundred street kids. He is also a delegate of the International Interfaith Conference for Peace held in Davao City and Sultan Kudarat sometime last 2012, the volunteer lecturer of Caraga Region Institute of Peace, True Love Waits and Caraga Youth Leaders Network and the volunteer in the Moral Recovery Program of Butuan City Government. (JSN/PIA-Caraga)